BACKGROUND:Cardiac fibroblasts (CFs) are essential for cardiac morphogenesis and homeostasis. We investigated whether transcription factor EB (TFEB) directly targeted and suppressed the activation of CFs, aiming to elucidate its underlying pathological mechanism from the perspectives of gene and cell therapy. METHODS:Following myocardial infarction (MI) induction, we performed transcriptome sequencing of CFs isolated from R26-LSL-TFEB+/+; Acta2-cre (n = 3) and R26-LSL-TFEB+/+ (n = 3) mice. Differential gene expression and functional enrichment analyses were conducted using R software. The binding between TFEB and Thrombospondin-1 (Thbs1) was validated by ChIP-qPCR assay. CFs were extracted from adult mice in the R26-LSL-TFEB+/+; Acta2-cre and R26-LSL-TFEB+/+ groups. Protein expressions of integrin, CD47, CD36, Thbs1, p-paxillin, vinculin, P-FAK, and α- SMA were detected by Western blot. Cell migration was assessed by the wound healing and Transwell assays. RESULTS:TFEB modulated the expression of a broad spectrum of RNAs associated with the transformation of CFs. Pathway analysis revealed significant enrichment in pathways related to extracellular matrix (ECM) receptor interaction and focal adhesion (FA). Notably, both mRNA and protein levels of Thbs1 were markedly elevated in TFEB-overexpressing CFs. Integrated computational prediction and chromatin immunoprecipitation assays identified that TFEB directly bound to the promoter region of Thbs1. This binding was associated with downstream modulation of its receptor network and a concomitant reduction in FA complex activation at the protein level. These findings positioned Thbs1 as a key transcriptional target through which TFEB regulated ECM-related signaling and cellular adhesion dynamics in CFs. DISCUSSION:The current findings showed that the modulation of Thbs1 and associated FA signaling was a mechanism through which TFEB overexpression exerted its anti-fibrotic effects on CFs. This highlighted the TFEB-Thbs1 axis as a potential novel target for developing therapeutic strategies to mitigate cardiac fibrosis. CONCLUSIONS:This study suggested that the protective effect of TFEB against MI injury was associated with the Thbs1/FA signaling pathway, providing a novel potential therapeutic target for cardiac fibrosis.

Colorectal cancer is a highly heterogeneous malignancy characterized by complex interactions between tumor cells and the immune system. The tumor microenvironment (TME) plays a crucial role in colorectal cancer progression and response to therapy. However, the mechanisms regulating TME composition remain poorly understood because of the genetic and phenotypic diversity of tumor cells. In this study, we investigated the tumor-intrinsic factors contributing to TME formation and evaluated genotype-based combination strategies to enhance the efficacy of immunotherapy in colorectal cancer. Using RNA sequencing, single-cell analysis, and immunohistochemistry (IHC), we identified pro-oncogenic proteins associated with low immune activation. Functional studies using in vitro co-culture systems, subcutaneous colorectal tumor models, flow cytometry, and IHC revealed a role for CDC-like kinase 1 (CLK1) in tumor progression and immunosuppressive TME remodeling. Mechanistically, CLK1 activation led to hyperactivation of the Hippo signaling pathway, promoting nuclear translocation of Yes-associated protein (YAP) and subsequent transcriptional upregulation of the chemokine CXCL1. Elevated CLK1 expression correlated with increased infiltration of myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSC) and impaired antitumor immune responses. Knockdown (KD) of CLK1 significantly reduced MDSC recruitment and restored CD8+ T-cell activity. Moreover, combined CLK1 KD and anti-PD-1 therapy enhanced intratumoral CD8+ T-cell infiltration to a greater extent and elicited robust antitumor responses in murine colorectal cancer models. Collectively, our findings identify the CLK1-Hippo/YAP-CXCL1 signaling axis as a regulator of immune evasion and TME remodeling in colorectal cancer and highlight the potential of therapeutically targeting this axis to improve the efficacy of immune checkpoint blockade.

Supplementary Fig 4. Spatial transcriptomic analysis of CLK1 expression and its correlation with immune markers.

Supplementary Table S2. Information on the antibodies used in the study

Supplementary Fig 3. CLK1 negatively regulates CD8+ T cell activity.

G-quadruplex (G4) is a noncanonical DNA secondary structure known to induce DNA damage and regulate the expression of immune-related genes. We aim to exploit the G4 folding as a treatment strategy to trigger anti-tumor immune response. In this study, we observe that the abundant genomic G4 in epithelial cells coexists with increased infiltration of CD8+ T cells in colorectal cancer tissue. Furthermore, our data substantiate the inhibitory effect of the G4 ligand TMPyP4 on cancer progression while concurrently stimulating anti-tumor immunity. Mechanistically, TMPyP4 impedes cancer cell proliferation and induces G2/M cell cycle arrest. Additionally, in vivo experiments demonstrate that TMPyP4 enhances the anti-tumor immune response by triggering DNA damage and activating the cGAS-STING pathway, which fosters CD8+ T cell activation and dendritic cell maturation. Importantly, the combined treatment of TMPyP4 and anti-PD1 exhibits a synergistic therapeutic effect on colorectal cancer. In summary, our findings underscore the potential of the G4 ligand TMPyP4 as a dual strategy to target colorectal cancer: inhibiting cancer progression and augmenting anti-tumor immunity through the activation of cGAS-STING pathway.

Background A large proportion of patients with cancer do not respond to immunotherapies. Recent studies suggested an important role for tumor-infiltrating cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL) in enhancing response to immunotherapy. Here, we aim to identify the gene that induces cytotoxic states of CD8+ T cells, and to investigate its effect on immunotherapy. Methods The correlation between the expression of IFI35 with the activation and cytotoxicity of CD8+ T cells was assessed with TCGA and proteomic databases. Then we constructed murine colon cancer cells over-expressing IFI35 and tested their effect on anti-tumor immunity in both immunodeficient and immunocompetent mouse models. Flow cytometry and immunohistochemistry were performed to assess the immune microenvironment. Western blot analysis was used to identify the potential downstream signaling pathway regulated by IFI35. We further investigated the efficacy of the IFI35 in combination with immunotherapeutic treatment. Results Through data mining in TCGA and proteomic databases, we identified IFI35 as a mediator for T cell activation and cytotoxicity and a prognostic marker in colorectal cancer (IDDF2023-ABS-0253 Figure 1. Tumor IFI35 correlates with CD8 T cells activation and patient outcome). IFI35-overexpressing tumor cells caused slower tumor growth in both mouse models (IDDF2023-ABS-0253 Figure 2. IFI35 plays an important role in tumor growth in an immune dependent way). Mechanistically, overexpression of IFI35 in cancer cells increases the number of CD8+ T cells and enhances CD8+ T cell cytotoxicity (IDDF2023-ABS-0253 Figure 3. IFI35 increases the intratumoral proportion of CD8 cells, IDDF2023-ABS-0253 Figure 4A-D. Tumor IFI35 promotes CD8 T cell effector cytokines as well as anti-tumor immunotherapy efficacy for CRC). We further demonstrated that IFI35 expression is regulated by the IFNγ-STAT1-IRF7 axis, and the secreted IFI35 mediates T cell activation and cytotoxicity through PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway in T cells (IDDF2023-ABS-0253 Figure 5. IFN╬│ stat1 IRF7 induced IFI35 activated CD8 T cells thought PI3K AKT mTOR pathway). Notably, they showed that the IFI35 protein may enhance the efficacy of Anti-PD1 therapy (IDDF2023-ABS-0253 Figure 4E-G. Tumor IFI35 promotes CD8 T cell effector cytokines as well as anti-tumor immunotherapy efficacy for CRC). Conclusions Our findings identify IFI35 as a new biomarker that can enhance the number and function of CD8+ T cells, as well as increase the efficacy of immunotherapy for CRC patients.

A large proportion of the patients with cancer do not respond to immunotherapies. Recent studies suggested an important role for tumor-infiltrating cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL) in enhancing response to immunotherapy. Here, we aim to identify gene that induce proliferative and cytotoxic states of CD8+ T cells, and to investigate its effect on CAR-T cells against colorectal cancer.Correlation between the expression of IFI35 with the activation and cytotoxicity of CD8+ T cells was assessed with TCGA and proteomic databases. Then we constructed murine colon cancer cells over-expressing IFI35 and tested their effect on anti-tumor immunity in both immunodeficient and immunocompetent mouse models. Flow cytometry and immunohistochemistry were performed to assess the immune microenvironment. Western blot analysis was used to identify the potential down-stream signaling pathway regulated by IFI35. We further investigated the efficacy of the rhIFI35 protein in combination with immunotherapeutic treatment.The transcriptional and proteomic analysis of the activation and cytotoxicity of CD8+ T cells in human cancer samples demonstrated that IFI35 expression is correlated with increased CD8+ T cell infiltration and predicted a better outcome in colorectal cancer. The number and cytotoxicity of CD8+ T cells were significantly increased in IFI35-overexpressing tumors. Mechanistically, we identified that the IFNγ-STAT1-IRF7 axis stimulated IFI35 expression, and that IFI35-mediated regulation of CD8+ T cell proliferation and cytotoxicity was dependent on PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway in vitro. Furthermore, IFI35 protein enhanced the efficacy of CAR-T cells against colorectal cancer cells.Our findings identify IFI35 as a new biomarker that can enhance the proliferation and function of CD8+ T cells, as well as increase the efficacy of CAR-T cells against colorectal cancer cells.

Background Adverse left ventricular remodeling after myocardial infarction (MI) compromises cardiac function and increases heart failure risk. Until now, comprehension of the role transcription factor EB (TFEB) plays after MI is limited. Objectives The purpose of this study was to describe the effects of TFEB on fibroblasts differentiation and extracellular matrix expression after MI. Methods AAV9 (adeno-associated virus) mediated up- and down-regulated TFEB expressions were generated in C57BL/6 mice two weeks before the MI modeling. Echocardiography, Masson, Sirius red staining immunofluorescence, and wheat germ agglutinin staining were performed at 3 days, and 1, 2, and 4 weeks after MI modeling. Fibroblasts collected from SD neonatal rats were transfected by adenovirus and siRNA, and cell counting kit-8 (CCK8), immunofluorescence, wound healing and Transwell assay were conducted. Myocardial fibrosis-related proteins were identified by Western blot. PNU-74654 (100 ng/mL) was used for 12 hours to inhibit β-catenin-TCF/LEF1 complex. Results The up-regulation of TFEB resulted in reduced fibroblasts proliferation and its differentiation into myofibroblasts in vitro studies. A significant up-regulation of EF and down-regulation of myocyte area was shown in the AAV9-TFEB group. Meanwhile, decreased protein level of α-SMA and collagen I were observed in vitro study. TFEB didn’t affect the concentration of β-catenin. Inhibition of TFEB, which promoted cell migration, proliferation and collagen I expression, was counteracted by PNU-74654. Conclusions TFEB demonstrated potential in restraining fibrosis after MI by inhibiting the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway.

Previous studies have shown that AMPK plays an important role in cerebral ischemia–reperfusion injury by participating in apoptosis, but the exact mechanism and target of action remains unclear. This study aimed to investigate the protective mechanism of AMPK activation on brain injury secondary to cardiac arrest. HE, Nills and TUNEL assays were used to evaluate neuronal damage and apoptosis. The relationships between AMPK, HNF4α and apoptotic genes were verified by ChIP-seq, dual-luciferase and WB assays. The results showed that AMPK improved the 7-day memory function of rats, and reduced neuronal cell injury and apoptosis in the hippocampal CA1 region after ROSC, while the use of HNF4α inhibitor weakened the protective effect of AMPK. Further research found that AMPK positively regulated the expression of HNF4α, and AMPK could promote the expression of Bcl-2 and inhibit the expression of Bax and Cleaved-Caspase 3. In vitro experiments showed that AMPK ameliorated neuronal injury by inhibiting apoptosis through the activation of HNF4α. Combined with ChIP-seq, JASPAR analysis and Dual-luciferase assay, the binding site of HNF4α to the upstream promoter of Bcl-2 was found. Taken together, AMPK attenuates brain injury after CA by activating HNF4α to target Bcl-2 to inhibit apoptosis.

目的:观察组蛋白脱乙酰酶激动剂ITSA-1对心脏停搏心肺复苏后大鼠脑损伤的影响.方法:30只Wistar大鼠,随机分为假手术(sham)组、模型(model)组和ITSA组,每组10只.ITSA组大鼠心脏停搏前3 d连续皮下注射ITSA-1(0.5 mg·kg?1·d?1),sham组和model组给予等体积的生理盐水皮下注射;sham组大鼠在注射肌松药物的同时进行机械通气,model组和ITSA组大鼠在心脏停搏12 min后进行基础生命支持.比较各组大鼠心脏停搏期间的电生理参数及自主循环恢复(ROSC)后血压和72 h生存情况;使用神经功能缺损评分量表(NDS)评估神经功能,采用苏木精-伊红(HE)染色和Nissl染色观察大鼠海马CA1区神经元存活情况;免疫组织化学染色检测海马CA1区胶质细胞原纤维酸性蛋白(GFAP)和离子钙结合接头分子1(Iba-1)的表达;酶联免疫吸附实验检测海马组织中肿瘤坏死因子α(TNF-α)和白细胞介素1β(IL-1β)的表达量;Western blot检测海马组织中广谱乙酰化水平及凋亡相关蛋白caspase-3、Bax和cleaved caspase-3的水平.结果:ROSC 72 h后,sham组大鼠存活率为100％,model组为50％,ITSA组为70％.与model组相比,ITSA组大鼠ROSC后72 h存活率和NDS评分均显著升高(P<0.05);海马CA1区的凋亡细胞数量显著减少,存活细胞数量显著增加,GFAP和Iba-1的表达量显著降低(P<0.05);TNF-α和IL-1β表达量及脑组织广谱乙酰化水平显著下降,凋亡相关蛋白caspase3、Bax和cleaved caspase-3水平均显著降低(P<0.05).结论:ITSA-1能够抑制脑组织中胶质细胞激活,从而减轻大鼠ROSC后的脑损伤.

Objective Cardiac arrest (CA) is caused by a nonshockable rhythm with a low success rate of return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) and a poor prognosis. This study intended to establish a nonshockable rhythm CA model caused by asphyxia. Materials and methods Healthy adult male Wistar rats were injected with vecuronium bromide to induce CA. After the CA duration reached the target time point, cardiopulmonary resuscitation was performed. The survival status and neurological and cardiac function were evaluated after ROSC. Brain histopathology, including hematoxylin staining, Nissl staining and Terminal dUTP nick-end labeling (TUNEL) staining, was performed to evaluate the surviving cells and apoptotic cells. Apoptosis-related proteins after ROSC for 72 h were analyzed by western blot. Results CA was successfully induced in all animals. The time for the three groups of animals to PEA was 320 ± 22 s in the CA-8 group, 322 ± 28 s in the CA-12 group and 320 ± 18 s in the CA-15 group. The time to asystole was 436 ± 54 s in the CA-8 group, 438 ± 62 s in the CA-12 group and 433 ± 56 s in the CA-15 group. The NDS of rats in the CA group was significantly decreased after ROSC for 24 h. The NDS in the CA-15 group was 5–16 points, while it was 58–67 points and 15–43 points in the CA-8 and CA-12 groups, respectively. The cardiac function of animals in the CA group was impaired after ROSC, and the ejection fraction, fractional shortening, stroke volume and cardiac output, were all significantly decreased. Brain histopathology showed that the number of surviving neurons was decreased, and the number of apoptotic cells was increased in CA group, the longer the CA duration, the more apoptotic cells increased. The expression of the proapoptotic protein Bax and the apoptotic executive protein caspase3 in the hippocampus of CA rats was significantly increased, while the expression of the antiapoptotic protein Bcl-2 was significantly reduced. Conclusions The use of vecuronium can successfully induce CA caused by nonshockable rhythm in rats, which will help to further study the pathophysiological changes after CA by nonshockable rhythm.

Substantial morbidity and mortality are associated with postcardiac arrest brain injury (PCABI). MicroRNAs(miRNAs) are essential regulators of neuronal metabolism processes and have been shown to contribute to alleviated neurological injury after cardiac arrest. In this study, we identified miRNAs related to the prognosis of patients with neurological dysfunction after cardiopulmonary resuscitation based on data obtained from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. Then, we explored the effects of miR-483-5p on mitochondrial biogenesis, mitochondrial-dependent apoptosis, and oxidative stress levels after ischemia‒reperfusion injury in vitro and in vivo. MiR-483-5p was downregulated in PC12 cells and hippocampal samples compared with that in normal group cells and hippocampi. Overexpression of miR-483-5p increased the viability of PC12 cells after ischemia‒reperfusion injury and reduced the proportion of dead cells. A western blot analysis showed that miR-483-5p increased the protein expression of PCG-1, NRF1, and TFAM and reduced the protein expression of Bax and cleaved caspase 3, inhibiting the release of cytochrome c from mitochondria and alleviating oxidative stress injury by inhibiting the production of ROS and reducing MDA activity. We confirmed that miR-483-5p targeted TNFSF8 to regulate the AMPK/JNK pathway, thereby playing a neuroprotective role after cardiopulmonary resuscitation. Hence, this study provides further insights into strategies for inhibiting neurological impairment after cardiopulmonary resuscitation and suggests a potential therapeutic target for PCABI.

Background The expression profile of lncRNAs in coronary artery disease (CAD) patients has not yet been fully explored. Therefore, the current study aimed to investigate lncRNA-based prognostic biomarkers for CAD. Methods The expression profiles of lncRNA and messenger RNA (mRNA) were downloaded from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. Differentially expressed lncRNA (DElncRNAs) and DEmRNAs were identified from CAD and normal samples, and weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) was conducted. Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analyses were performed to investigate the principal functions of significantly dysregulated genes. The potential drugs of new CAD-specific genes were identified by network distance method. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) was used to verify the classification performance of genes. Results A total of 512 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and 308 DElncRNAs were identified from GSE113079 dataset to classify CAD samples. Through WGCNA co-expression analysis, 24 co-expression modules were obtained. A total of 187 DElncRNAs and 253 DEGs were determined from 7 modules correlated with CAD. Functional enrichment analysis showed that these DEGs were mainly related to inflammatory and immune-related pathways. Furthermore, 36 regulatory pairs of significantly shared micro RNAs (miRNAs) were identified as dysregulated lncRNA-mRNA (LRM-CAD), which contained 11 lncRNAs and 33 genes. Compared with a single lncRNA or gene, LRM-CAD showed stronger classification performance [average area under the curve (AUC) =0.958]. We screened 3 potential therapeutic drugs, DB09105, DB12371, and DB12612, a by binding drug-target gene interaction network. Molecular docking verified that the S1PR1 gene bound relatively closely to DB12371 and DB12612. The ROC analysis on external data sets showed that S1PR1, AC012640.4, and S1PR1-AC012640.4 could effectively distinguish CAD samples from control samples. Conclusions We provided a transcriptome overview of abnormally expressed lncRNAs in CAD patients and identified novel biomarkers for diagnosing CAD.

目的:观察外源性导入转录因子EB(TFEB)对缺血性脑卒中小鼠神经功能损伤的影响.方法:(1)15只10周龄雄性C57BL/6小鼠用于建立永久性大脑中动脉阻塞(pMCAO)模型,随机分为假手术组、梗阻2 h组、梗阻4 h组、梗阻8 h组和梗阻24 h组,每组3只,Western blot法检测pMCAO后皮层神经元TFEB、溶酶体相关膜蛋白1(LAMP-1)、微管相关蛋白1轻链3B(LC3B)和cleaved caspase-3蛋白的表达;(2)45只8周龄雄性C57BL/6小鼠分为假手术组、TFEB过表达组、过表达对照组、TFEB敲减组和敲减对照组,每组9只.除假手术组外,其余4组小鼠均经侧脑室注射9型腺相关病毒(AAV9),分别为AAV9-TFEB、AAV9-NC、AAV9-shTFEB和AAV9-shNC,注射2周后建立pMCAO模型,24 h后采用Longa评分法评估小鼠神经功能,磁共振法检测并计算脑梗死体积,TUNEL染色检测皮层神经元细胞凋亡情况,尼氏染色观察皮层神经元细胞形态及数量,Western blot法检测皮层神经元TFEB、LAMP-1、LC3B、cleaved caspase-3蛋白的表达.结果:与假手术组相比,pMCAO后2～24 h,皮层神经元TFEB、LAMP-1及LC3B-II蛋白表达水平均显著下降,而cleaved caspase-3表达升高(P<0.05).侧脑室注射AAV9-TFEB可改善pMACO后小鼠Longa评分,而注射AAV9-shTFEB则恶化Longa评分(P<0.05).磁共振结果显示侧脑室注射AAV9-TFEB可减少脑梗死体积,而注射AAV9-shTFEB则增加脑梗死体积(P<0.05).尼氏染色显示AAV9-TFEB组小鼠皮层神经元细胞数量显著多于AAV9-NC组,AAV9-shTFEB组小鼠皮层神经元细胞数量则显著少于AAV9-shNC组(P<0.05).Western blot结果显示过表达TFEB可增加皮层脑组织LAMP-1和LC3B-II表达,降低cleaved caspase-3表达(P<0.05);敲减TFEB则降低皮层脑组织LAMP-1和LC3B-II表达,增加cleaved caspase-3表达(P<0.05).结论:利用AAV9外源性导入TFEB可通过激活自噬及溶酶体功能而减少pMCAO后皮层神经元细胞凋亡,改善小鼠神经功能.